Bournemouth school first in country to give VR cycling training
Pupils at the Bourne Academy have been part of a new Bikeability scheme
Students at a Bournemouth school are the first in the country to experience an exciting new virtual cycling training session.
Year seven students at The Bourne Academy trialled a program created by Dr Dan Bishop, from Brunel University, in collaboration with The Bikeability Trust.
The ‘Group-Based VR Immersive Cycle Training Project’ uses tablets to embed the skills needed for learning to cycle on the road.
The training is designed to help children become more confident and competent cyclists.
Each student at the session is given a tablet to experience a 360-degree view of different road-based cycling scenarios, with BCP Council Bikeability instructors leading the session and providing information about the four core cycling skills on the road – observation, communication, position and priorities.
Dr Dan Bishop said:
“This exciting project is the culmination of years of trialling and refinement, with significant input from the Trust’s development team, Bikeability instructors, children and their parents. This unique blend of academic and real-world riding expertise has led to the development of a rigorous and practical training protocol that has the potential to change lives.
“Instructors can use the instructor manual, which summarises the 24 ‘group rides’, together with their knowledge of those rides, to tailor their training in a way that maximises young riders’ confidence and competence for riding independently on roads. Our intention is that this will lead to more children and young people cycling to school and signing up for advanced Bikeability training.”
Eleanor Critchlow, student at The Bourne Academy, said:
“It made me feel like I was actually riding a bike down certain roads. I learnt a lot about which way to look, as well as things like major and minor roads.”
Jasmine Bailey, Teacher of Physical Education and Mathematics at The Bourne Academy, said:
“With these sessions running alongside the physical 2.5 hour level 2 Bikeability courses, we’re giving children invaluable skills to not only prepare them for cycling on the roads but also giving them more confidence and enthusiasm.”
Graham Hurst, BCP Council Bikeability Instructor, said:
“Going forward, we want to deliver the immersive training to as many schools as possible to help embed the skills needed by students to make them more confident, experienced cyclists. This will help the school encourage more children to travel more safely and actively to school.”
BCP Council's Bikeability team is aiming to train 1,000 students using this technology before the end of March 2025.
That's in support of the council’s aim to get 50% of journeys walked, wheeled or taken by public transport within the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area by 2030.